only taking two classes next semester – how to fill my free time?

[deleted943182]

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hi SDN.

due to my school's scheduling quirks, i have only seven credits left until i am eligible to graduate, so i'm just taking two classes next semester to save money on tuition. i'm not working at the moment so my free time is going to open up dramatically.

i've submitted applications for the 2018 cycle, but i haven't gotten any interview invites yet, and i know that i need to use my extra time next semester to improve my application in case i have to reapply. but what should i do?

for context, i've got 700+ hrs of volunteering, 1300+ clinical hours from an old ED scribing job, and ~200 research hours (which i didn't enjoy much, no pubs/presentations). the only thing i'm truly "weak" on is shadowing; i haven't shadowed anyone outside of scribing. i plan to make up for this in the spring, but shadowing doesn't really occupy that much time. do you guys have any suggestions on how to fill this empty semester so i don't look like a slacker?

 

[raiderette]

Are you happy with your MCAT score? Do you have a good mix of clinical and non-clinical volunteering?
I always think volunteering with the underserved will help your application and your spirit.

 

[deleted943182]

Are you happy with your MCAT score? Do you have a good mix of clinical and non-clinical volunteering?
I always think volunteering with the underserved will help your application and your spirit.

thanks for the reply! my MCAT score is fairly high (517+) so i hadn’t planned on retaking it. i’ve got pretty substantial volunteering as well – my volunteer experiences with marginalized patients are core part of my application’s narrative, although i plan to continue volunteering weekly throughout next semester

 

[getdown]

video games.

 

[deleted943182]

video games.

lol. that is what i had imagined for the spring back when i was more optimistic about my chances this cycle!

 

[Gilakend]

Physical activity. I recommend Jiu-Jitsu.

 

[958587]

Do some volunteering that is sort of off the wall, but that still interests you.

Make-A-Wish is an amazing organization to volunteer for. You work as a Wish Granter where you meet with the child and family and determine the child's one true wish. You pass that info onto the office and they take care of the rest. You and your fellow Wish Granter partner find out what the wish is that will be granted and throw a bit of a party for the kiddo. All of your costs are reimbursed. No fundraising or "boring" stuff on your part. It is an awesome experience.

On the flipside, if you want to work with a vulnerable population from the comfort of your own home, look into Crisis Text Line. You work at your computer texting with people who are in crisis. It's a bit rough at times, but has come up in every one of my interviews as an interesting thing to talk about.

There is plenty of work to be done, just not always a paying job for it. And shadow, shadow, shadow. But it looks like you are already on that ball.

 

[medschool19]

Do some volunteering that is sort of off the wall, but that still interests you.

Make-A-Wish is an amazing organization to volunteer for. You work as a Wish Granter where you meet with the child and family and determine the child's one true wish. You pass that info onto the office and they take care of the rest. You and your fellow Wish Granter partner find out what the wish is that will be granted and throw a bit of a party for the kiddo. All of your costs are reimbursed. No fundraising or "boring" stuff on your part. It is an awesome experience.

On the flipside, if you want to work with a vulnerable population from the comfort of your own home, look into Crisis Text Line. You work at your computer texting with people who are in crisis. It's a bit rough at times, but has come up in every one of my interviews as an interesting thing to talk about.

There is plenty of work to be done, just not always a paying job for it. And shadow, shadow, shadow. But it looks like you are already on that ball.

Crisis Text line sounds like an awesome and rewarding thing to do. Can you PM me? I'd love to hear more about your experiences doing this.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

I mean if you’ve really, and I mean REALLY, have nothing to do, I’d learn Spanish. I spent a good chunk of my gap year doing Canopy and I’m really happy I did.

If you’re competent in Spanish that will serve you for the rest of your life both in and out of medicine.

At our big county hospital, when attendings/residents hear I speak [broken] Spanish, I’m always the first choice to go with them for beside procedures. My intern can’t leave me behind on rotations because she needs me to translate.

My patients and their families are much more greatful to watch me struggle through an H&P in Spanish than call in a translator.

And there’s whole regions of the world I can travel to now that I speak enough of the native language to get by.

 

[ClimbsRox]

hi SDN.

due to my school's scheduling quirks, i have only seven credits left until i am eligible to graduate, so i'm just taking two classes next semester to save money on tuition. i'm not working at the moment so my free time is going to open up dramatically.

i've submitted applications for the 2018 cycle, but i haven't gotten any interview invites yet, and i know that i need to use my extra time next semester to improve my application in case i have to reapply. but what should i do?

for context, i've got 700+ hrs of volunteering, 1300+ clinical hours from an old ED scribing job, and ~200 research hours (which i didn't enjoy much, no pubs/presentations). the only thing i'm truly "weak" on is shadowing; i haven't shadowed anyone outside of scribing. i plan to make up for this in the spring, but shadowing doesn't really occupy that much time. do you guys have any suggestions on how to fill this empty semester so i don't look like a slacker?

Figure out what went wrong in your application. You check all the boxes on paper: stats, hours, etc. I'm not sure what shadowing is going to help with 1300 hours of scribing already. Sounds like you wrote something that put people off in your app or got burned by a LOR or submitted extremely late. Either that or there is some big red flag you aren't telling us.

 

[AliBabaMD]

Come up with an invention, start an LLC, offer a new service, solve something that makes for a good story. Don't just do physical exercise...you can do that with all of the above as well!

Best wishes,
AB